Clamping band



A. C. WILKINS CLAMPING BAND,

Aug. 4, 1942.

Filed Jan. 27', 1941 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UTED STATES FTENT OFFICE CLAMPING BAND Albert C'. Wilkins, Tiskilwa, 111. Application January 27, 1941, Serial No. 376,251

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clamping bands, and its general object is to provide a band that is primarily designed for use with light weight cylindrical containers, particularly of the so-called paper or cardboard type used extensively for bulk frozen confections, such as ice cream or the like, and from which the confection is dipped or scooped for retail trade. Considerable difficulty is experienced in dipping or scooping the confection from a container of the type mentioned when it becomes nearly empty, as due to the resistance of the confection against the scoop and the light weight of the container, the latter must be held against movement by one hand, while the confection is scooped with the other, so in order to overcome that difiiculty I use my clamping band for fixing a nearly empty container to and on top of a full container or a weighted empty container, or the band can be used for fixing a heavy weight object to the bottom of the nearly empty container, thus sufiicient weight is provided to hold the container against movement when scooping the contents therefrom.

A further object is to provide a clamping band that is adjustable to fit containers of various diameters, and when attached thereto casual removal or displacement is practically impossible.

Another object is to provide a clamping band that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efiicient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating my band in use for attaching two containers together,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the band latching means in open position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view with the latching means in closed position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the band in use, as in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but illustrates the band in use for attaching a disk like weight to the bottom of the container.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the latching arm.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the containers A to which my clamp is to be applied are of the cylindrical type, now in general use for bulk frozen confections, and are made from light weight material such as cardboard or the like, to provide a flanged bottom having the flange B thereof exteriorly arranged in surrounding relation to the lower end of the body, and a lid or cover having an exteriorly arranged flange C is provided for closing the container. The weight D which is to be attached to the bottom of a container is preferably disk shape, but it can be of any shape providing it is of sufficient width to be engaged by the teeth of the band, as shown in Figure 5.

The band includes a transversely split annular body or collar l' preferably made from spring metal, so that the inherent resiliency of the body will cause the same to assume a normal expanded position when open, as shown in Figure 2, and formed on and extending inwardly from the circumferential edges of the body for its major portion, are fiat substantially triangular shaped teeth 2, to set up a biting engagement with the containers or container, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. One end portion 3 of the body is free from teeth and has formed thereon a pair of outwardly directed parallel arranged apertured ears 4, while the opposite end portion 5 has several key hole shaped keeper slots 6 therein. Disposed between the ears is a substantially rectangular latch plate 1 that has formed on and extending from the opposite sides of one end thereof, trunnions 8 mounted in the aperture of the ears for swinging movement of the plate, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figures 2 and 3. The plate 1 is slotted along its longitudinal center for a portion of its length from its pivoted end and bridging the slot is apivot pin 9 for an arcuate latch arm H] which has a bearing I I at one end mounted on the pin 9 and a shanked head [2 at its opposite end. The head is receivable in any one of the slots 6 for connecting the ends of the band together through the medium of the latch plate and to bring about adjustment of the'band, to fit containers of several diameters.

Slidably mounted on the end portion 3 is a loop member I3 for engagement with the plate 1 to hold the latch closed, as shown in Figure 3, and the plate I not only acts to carry the arm H], but also as a hand lever for operating the latch, to contract and expand the band into and out of clamping position, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figures 2 and 3, The portion 3 is preferably provided with an opening [4 for receiving the bearing H, to allow positive engagement of the plate or hand lever I with the portion 3 and free movement of the loop member against the lever for holding the latch closed.

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it is believed that the use of my band will be obvious, but it might be mentioned that when it is desired to attach two containers together, one is disposed on top of the other. The band is then applied in surrounding relation about the flanges B and C, with the teeth disposed above and below the flanges, as best shown in Figure 4, and then the latch is closed to clamp the band about the containers, with the teeth in biting or penetrating engagement therewith, consequently movement of the upper container relative to the lower container is impossible. When attaching the weight D, it is mounted on the bottom of a container and the band is applied and contracted to clamped position, for disposing the lower teeth in engagement with the under face of the weight and the upper teeth in biting or penetrating engagement with the body of the container, as clearly shown in Figure 5, thus it will be seen that by the use of my band, sufiicient weight can be added to a nearly empty container to hold the same against movement, when dipping or scooping its contents therefrom.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features .of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A clamping band for attaching a container to suitable means to hold the container against movement while removing its contents, comprising a flat transversely split annular body, container penetrating teeth formed on the circumferential edges of the body and extending inwardly therefrom, latching means for contracting and expanding the body into and out of clamping position, said clamping means including ears formed on one end portion of the body, a substantially rectangular lever pivoted at one end to the ears, the opposite end portion of the body being provided with key hole shaped slots along its longitudinal center, an arm pivoted at one end to the lever, a shanked head formed on the opposite end of the arm and receivable in either slot for connecting the end portions of the body together through the medium of the lever, and a loop member slidably mounted on the body for engagment with the lever for holding the body in clamping position. v V

ALBERT C. WILKINS. 

